Knee Problems – How you are Damaging your Knees?

Old age is equivalent to knee problems most of the times. Mostly, it is the female population who suffer from the issue because of the excess physical strain which they undergo in their lives. Pregnancy contributes a lot to how a female ages and what problems she might suffer in the late 50’s.

In fact, it is even possible for teenagers of 15 to have conditions like arthritis which might develop into rheumatoid arthritis in the later stage of life. Not having regular physical exercise is one of the starting points of knee troubles. Let us discuss how you can take care of your knees with some basic lifestyle changes.

How are you causing your knee problems?

1. Not Controlling Your Weight

Every pound of body weight yields five pounds of force on the knee (Source)

Being overweight is a bad thing not only for your heart but for your knees as well. Make sure that you do not put on unnecessary weight. Using stairs is a good exercise to lose weight and keep your knees in good condition.

But, if you suffer from knee pain, are overweight, are middle-aged (age wears off the knee tissues and puts more strain on them), exercising can be painful. In such a case, walking on plain surfaces, using treadmills or stationary bikes are great exercises. Taking care of your diet is a better way to control weight.

2. Not Listening to Your Body

Your body has an in-built alarm system. Whenever there is anything wrong with your body, it will start giving your signals. For example, you would not be able to do something which you used to or you start suffering from chronic fatigue.

Keep a lookout for any changes in your body, especially if you are on a major phase change like 30’s, 40’s, menopause or pregnancy. If you do feel any discomfort repeatedly for over two weeks, you should see a doctor to be on the safer side.

3. Overdoing Your Exercises

As much as under-exercising is bad for knees, over-exercising can be equally bad. Strenuous exercises like running and rope skipping or any form of high intensity exercise can put a lot of pressure on the knees if you are not used to it.

Always mix your exercises to include both high and low intensity workouts. Include lot of stretching exercises before and after workouts. Change the pace of your exercises slowly. Do not cause sudden movements. It is best to have a personal trainer to supervise you in the beginning.

4. Wearing Wrong Shoes

Do not wear flipflops to go for a walk, even if it is in your apartment. Wear proper shoes which provide good ankle support. High-heels for longer duration is not a good choice as it forces your feet to angle depending on the size of heels. They also puts a lot of pressure on the knees.

Make sure your shoes distribute your weight evenly. Get professional fitting for your feet, if necessary.

5. Body Posture

Many problems occur due to improper body posture. Most of the time we are not even aware of how we stand or how we sit or even if some of our daily habits put stress on our bodies. For example, sitting with legs crossed on your knees puts a lot of stress on them. Similarly, sitting for long times or locking your knees keeping them upright while standing puts pressure on them.

Get your body posture corrected by a physiotherapist. Make sure never to stay in the same position for more than 45 minutes.

And, always visit a doc when your knee pains go real bad. Knee replacement surgeries are not as scary as they used to be. The physiotherapy which follows it is definitely painful but once the phase is over, you can do everything except sitting on the floor. The procedure does not take a toll on the wallet as it is included in your health insurance. The knee surgery is covered after a 4 year waiting period so act fast.